{"id":158053,"date":"2026-04-22T12:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=158053"},"modified":"2026-04-22T12:02:00","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:32:00","slug":"easy-positive-and-judgment-free-how-families-can-support-their-children-opinion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newslink360.space\/?p=158053","title":{"rendered":"‘Easy, Positive, and Judgment Free.’ How Families Can Support Their Children (Opinion)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n Most teachers and their students\u2019 parents\/guardians understand the importance of family support for student learning.<\/p>\n

This series will offer specific suggestions for how families can do just that.<\/p>\n

\u2018Essential Partners\u2019<\/h2>\n

Karen L. Mapp, a senior lecturer on education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is a leading family- and community-engagement expert whose research and practice focus on cultivating partnerships among schools, families, and communities for enhancing student achievement and school performance. She is also the co-author of <\/i>Everyone Wins! (Scholastic, 2022):<\/i><\/p>\n

I believe that families are essential partners in ensuring every child\u2019s academic and developmental success. My Dual Capacity-Building Framework for Family-School Partnerships is designed to help both educators and families develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence they need to work together effectively.<\/p>\n

If I were offering advice to parents and guardians on how to best support their child\u2019s learning, here\u2019s what I would say:<\/p>\n

1.\u202fRecognize Your Power and Role<\/b> You are not just a supporter of your child\u2019s education\u2014you are a co-educator. You know your child better than anyone, and you bring invaluable insight to the table. Your voice, culture, and perspectives matter. Know that you play an important role in your child\u2019s learning journey and that your engagement makes a real difference.<\/p>\n

2.\u202fBuild Your Capacity as a Partner<\/b> One of the key elements of my framework is building the capacity of families to be true partners. That means seeking out opportunities to strengthen your understanding of how schools work, how children learn, and what supports are available to help your child succeed. Try to participate in workshops at school, attend family-learning nights, and don\u2019t be afraid to ask questions. Learning is a lifelong process for all of us.<\/p>\n

3.\u202fFocus on Learning-Focused Engagement<\/b> When you engage with your child about what they\u2019re learning in school\u2014whether through casual conversation, reading together, or helping with homework\u2014you\u2019re reinforcing classroom experiences at home. Let your child know you value education and have high expectations for their growth, effort, and achievement. These home-school connections are essential.<\/p>\n

4.\u202fBuild Strong Relationships with Educators<\/b> Relational trust, mutual respect, and open communication are the bedrock of successful partnerships. Get to know your child\u2019s teachers. Don\u2019t hesitate to reach out to your child\u2019s teacher to ask about their progress and to understand more about what they are learning. Let teachers know that you\u2019d like them to communicate with you not just when there\u2019s a problem but to share successes and help you stay informed about what\u2019s going on in the classroom. When families and educators trust one another, students thrive.<\/p>\n

5.\u202fBe an Advocate for Family Engagement<\/b> Family engagement isn\u2019t a \u201cnice to have\u201d\u2014it\u2019s a must-have. I encourage you to get engaged in your school community. Join committees, participate in decisionmaking structures, and advocate inclusive and welcoming family practices. Ask about opportunities to participate virtually if going to the school is not possible. Schools grow stronger when families have true seats at the table.<\/p>\n

6.\u202fCelebrate and Share Your Culture<\/b> It\u2019s important that your identity and experiences are recognized and valued. When schools affirm the diverse backgrounds of families, students feel seen and supported. Share your cultural traditions, language, and stories\u2014and not just at holiday time. Doing so enriches the learning environment for everyone.<\/p>\n

In short, my message to families is this: You matter. Your engagement is powerful. And when you invest in your own growth and reach out to build meaningful relationships with your child\u2019s school, you are creating the conditions for your child to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. We are in this together\u2014and together, we can ensure every child reaches their full potential.<\/p>\n

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\u2018Learn to Take Risks\u2019<\/h2>\n

Christina Torres Cawdery is a mother, teacher, writer, scholar, and runner based in Honolulu.<\/i><\/p>\n

In the middle of my 13th year as a teacher, the question parents and families most often ask me is, \u201cHow can I help my child succeed?\u201d or \u201cHow can I help my student get an A?\u201d It is arguably one of the most common questions I get from my students as well: \u201cWhat do I need to do to get an A in this class?\u201d<\/p>\n

I get the question; as a student growing up, I was taught to \u201cfight for every point\u201d so I could get good grades, have a high GPA, get into a good college, and have a \u201csuccessful\u201d life. That narrative was the entire focus on my educational career: Educational worth would eventually transfer to economic worth. <\/p>\n

After 13 years in the classroom, however, I have realized the question of \u201csuccess\u201d is understandable but not actually the most fruitful. Rather than ask about how to attain success, we can help students learn to take risks, manage hard processes, and deal with failure in productive ways. These supports are not meant for students to repress the understandable fears or disappointments they fee, but rather teach them how to validate and manage those feelings and<\/i> find out how to move forward. <\/p>\n

I\u2019m not saying success isn\u2019t important, but the art of failing gracefully is equally valuable but, sadly, far less valued. Persevering through intellectual challenges is, many argue, essential to the learning process. As Manu Kapur, a learning scientist and researcher, notes, \u201cproductive\u201d failure\u2014lessons designed to purposely challenge students in meaningful ways\u2014can actually lead to deep learning not just about content but about process as well. \u201cThe goal is to design experiences that incorporate failure in a safe, curated way,\u201d he says in one interview<\/svg><\/a>. \u201cThen, we turn that initial failure into something that is productive by stepping in, giving students feedback and guidance, and helping them to make sense of the material by assembling it into a more coherent whole.\u201d <\/p>\n

As a newer parent\u2014I am managing a 3-year-old and an 18-month-old as I write this\u2014I understand how hard it is to see our kids falter. I love my kids so deeply that seeing them struggle hits me in a visceral way, one that makes me want to immediately fix whatever they are upset about. I also recognize that it is often easier or faster to just fix the mistakes for them; I can put a pair of shoes on my toddler much quicker than they can. <\/p>\n

As an educator, though, I also know how valuable the process is. Yes, I can put on the shoes more quickly, but my kid can learn a lot from the struggle to put on shoes (including, perhaps, how to ask for help). I have seen my students struggle and persevere in ways that they later tell me changed the way they saw themselves or what they were capable of. Many of them tell me they learned the content more profoundly or became stronger when they had to struggle with it first. I have also reflected on how my own challenges\u2014things I didn\u2019t understand or were terrible at when I first started\u2014have pushed me to grow. <\/p>\n

While it can feel tempting and, sometimes, more convenient to fix the problem or teach the lesson, I hope parents and families understand that worthwhile struggle can produce meaningful, positive change not only in our students\u2019 learning but also in how they view themselves and their capabilities. <\/p>\n

So, when I have my next parent-teacher conference with my kids\u2019 teachers (yes, we have them in preschool), I\u2019m going to ask: How do they handle mistakes? How does the class move forward from those mistakes? I plan to keep asking this question for the rest of their educational careers, and it is a question I want to ask myself for the rest of mine. <\/p>\n

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\u2018Regular Communication\u2019<\/h2>\n

Laleh Ghotbi teaches all 4th grade academic subjects at Mountain View Elementary in Salt Lake City. She began her teaching career over 30 years ago, working with middle and high school students in Iran:<\/i><\/p>\n

To answer this question, I should reflect on the many strong parent-teacher relationships I\u2019ve built over the years and the positive impact those partnerships have had on students\u2019 emotional well-being and academic growth. I actively encourage parents to be involved in their child\u2019s learning by making communication easy, positive, and judgment-free. I reassure them that their voice matters and that even small efforts, like replying to a message or asking a question, can make a big difference in their child\u2019s success.<\/p>\n

At the beginning of each school year, I include this quote in my introduction letter to families:<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child\u2019s success is the positive involvement of parents.\u201d \u2013 Jane D. Hull<\/p>\n

This quote captures the essence of what I truly believe: When families are involved, students thrive.<\/p>\n

I encourage parents to stay connected with me throughout the year and I provide multiple ways to communicate in order to meet different needs and preferences. These include:<\/p>\n